The greatest Heisman showdown in history is not part of the SEC schedule? Please get Mike Slive to issue a new one. And please forgive my premature use of the H word.

Few things are as tiresome as the annual Heisman Trophy hunt. Now this season isn't over, and we're already hyping next year's race?

Blame Johnny Manziel and Jadeveon Clowney for doing the impossible. After the usual 143 bowl games, they have actually left us craving more. By "us," I mean everybody except the Stoops brothers and Vincent Smith's helmet.

The former are Oklahoma coach Bob and defensive coordinator Mike. The only things spinning faster than Smith's helmet were the Stoops boys' eyes as Manziel went wild in Dallas.

"He's virtually unstoppable," Bob said.

By everything except the calendar, that is. The thrills are on hold until late August, but Manziel and Clowney have spring-boarded us into a new dimension.

Sports thrive on rivalries, and this could be Ali-Frazier, Bird-Magic, Rocky-Apollo Creed. Never mind that Manziel and Clowney will probably never meet, or that the Heisman really doesn't validate anything (see: Gino Torretta, Eric Crouch, et al).

Handicapping the race has become a weekly national pastime. There are now more Heisman Watches than real ones. Much of the hype is fueled by image, and next year is a perfect storm of packaging elements.

You have supernatural talents. Defensive Monster vs. Offensive Genius. As gifted as the players are, they also have style, the wow, the indefinable "it" factor that makes little old ladies in Omaha want to turn on their TVs.

Texas A&M's 41-13 victory over Oklahoma on Fox crushed "Blue Bloods," "CSI: NY" and whatever else was thrown at it Friday night. How can anyone compete with the real-life story of Manziel, who Peter Pans his way in, out, over and through everything a defense can throw at him?

It's more performance art than football. Throw in the fact he's a freshman and roughly the size of Clowney's right arm, and Manziel mania could produce one or two or three more Heismans.

The only thing more astounding would be a defensive player winning it once. If Manti Te'o and all that Notre Dame shine couldn't do it this year, I didn't think it would ever happen. Clowney had plenty of talent and style points, but it was easy to nitpick his overall production.

Even in the Outback Bowl, Michigan's mammoth tackle Taylor Lewan controlled Clowney relatively well much of the afternoon. Then somebody missed an assignment and Clowney rendezvoused with Smith.

The video has become the Zapruder film of college football. It was so devastating somebody got on Wikipedia and updated Clowney's bio.

"In the Outback Bowl, Clowney obliterated the entire state of Michigan when he hit Wolverine's running back Vincent Smith and forced a fumble. There are now only 49 states in the United States and Roger Goodell has suspended Clowney for the first game of his NFL career."

Wikipedia police have erased the addendum since Goodell probably would have banned Clowney for life. But the impact has turned the college sophomore into a mythological figure.

Kansas City Chiefs fans are begging him to defy NFL limits and enter the draft. Clowney says he'll stick around South Carolina one more season. One reason is he wants to make Heisman history.

"I believe a defensive player can win the Heisman next year," he said after Manziel won. "That's my next thing, New York. Next season, I am going to come out and try to work harder than I did this season and try to get there."

If his work ethic catches up to his talent, we're looking at the next Lawrence Taylor. That's Heisman-caliber hype, which often goes stale long before the finalists are announced.

Remember how Matt Barkley was a shoo-in? Then Geno Smith and Collin Klein? Actual games can get in the way. Barring injuries, however, it's hard to imagine Manziel suddenly losing his magic or Clowney not providing at least two must-see sacks a week.

The ultimate would be if the Genius takes a snap and is suddenly confronted by the Monster. Millions of Heisman Watches would freeze at the second.

It could happen in the SEC Championship Game. Texas A&M already has the Dec. 7 date on its 2013 football schedule. Heisman ballots are traditionally due two days after that game. Even if the ultimate clash doesn't happen, we should have Heisman hunt for the ages.